Dual grip handle for power tools

ABSTRACT

A dual grip handle for power tools, the grip comprising two components flexibly connected together and each adapted for flexible connection to the power tool.

Wows at al. [451 ay 22, 11973 [54] DUAL GRHP ANDRE FQR PER [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS [76] Inventors: i Angel 3,525,373 8/1970 Kobayashi 143 32 R 10mm, both of 3,651,839 3 1972 $11111 et al ..143/32 R Reymlds street New South wales 3,409,056 11/1968 Rauh ..143 32 Austmha 3,542,095 11 1970 Frederickson et al 143 32 [22] Filed: Aug. 19, 1970 Primary Examiner-Donald R. Schran [21] Appl' 65001 Attorney-Emory L. Groff and Emory L. Groff, Jr.

[52] 11.5. Cl ..30/3811,173/162 [57] ABSTRAQT 51 11 1.01 ..]R27b 117 02 F16f 16 08 lssl F leld of Search ..l 13/32 R, 32; 1 dual handle 981 a fi g 173/162; 30/381 ing two components flexi y connecte toget er an each adapted for flexible connection to the power tool.

7 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures DUAL GRIP HANDLE FOR POWER TOOLS This invention relates to an improved hand grip arrangement for power tools and lends itself particularly to chain saws although it is not limited thereto.

It is well known that many hand held power tools fatigue the operator because of the vibrations set up by the power unit. This is particularly so in the case of chain saws having handles rigidly fixed to the chain saw body. Hitherto, handles on chain saws have been of two main types, one type comprises two individual handles fixed rigidly to the chain saw body so as to provide two handle grips. Extreme fatigue results from the use of machine having this type of handle arrangement. The second type comprises two separate handles mounted on the chain saw body through soft rubber mounting blocks, with this arrangement there is considerably less vibration transmitted to the operator but his control over the operation of the saw e.g. exerting pressure on the saw, is reduced.

The object of this invention is to provide a handle arrangement which is a compromise between the two handle arrangements above described and which avoids the disadvantages of both.

Accordingly the present invention provides a dual grip handle for power tools said grip comprising a first handle component adapted for flexible connection to said power tool, a second handle component adapted at its ends for connection by means of first and second flexible means to said power tool, a second handle component adapted for flexible connection to said power tool, and third flexible means connecting said first handle component to said second handle component.

Several embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 is a side view of a chain saw power unit to which one embodiment of the handle of this invention is fitted.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the chain saw power unit of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an end view of the chain saw power unit of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view showing one means of attaching an end of the handle to the power unit of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the means of interconnecting the handle components.

FIG. 6 is a section view of an alternative construction to that of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is an end view of a modified construction in which one handle component is mounted at both ends to the power unit.

FIG. 8 is a top view of the construction of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the means of interconnecting the handle components of the embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the structure shown in FIG. 9.

The handle as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5 comprises a first handle component 1 of generally C shape and a second handle component 2 flexibly connected to the handle part 1.

The handle component 1 has at one end a flange 3 with holes 4 therein to receive threaded studs 5 which are partly inbedded in a flexible mounting 6. The studs 5 have nuts 7 thereon to clamp the mounting to the flange 3. Threaded screws 8 secure the mounting 6 to a power unit 9.

The other end of the handle component 1 is shaped into a conical nose 10 with a central axial threaded bore 11 therein.

The second handle component 2 has a body part 12 with limbs 13 and 14 extending in opposite directions therefrom. The limb 13 is in the form of a bracket and the limb 14 is integral, with the body 12. The limb 13 terminates in a socket 15 having a conical bore 16 to receive the nose 10 of the handle component 1 and a conical rubber bush 17 is interposed between the nose and the conical bore. The socket 15 has a hole 18 therethrough concentric with the bore 16. A screw 19 with a rubber washer 20 thereon is used to secure the socket 15 to the nose 10. The compression exerted on the washer 20 and the bush 17 is a function of the tightness of the screw 19 and in this way the degree of flexibility at the joint between the handle components is regulatable.

The limb 14 terminates in an eye 21 dimensioned to fit between the legs of a bifurcated arm 22 on the power unit 9. A rubber bush 23 is mounted in the bore of the eye 21. A bolt and nut 24-240 is passed through the bush 23 and the legs of the arm 22 to secure the limb l4 flexibly to the arm 22.

If desired the body part 12 of the handle component 2 may also be flexibly secured to the power unit 9 by means of a rubber mounting block arrangement 6a similar to the mounting arrangement 6, this is illustrated in dotted lines in FIG. 2.

As an alternative, the handle component 1 of FIGS. 1 to 5 may be replaced by the component 25 having a shape as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 wherein each end of the component 25 has a flange 3 whereby the component 25 is flexibly connectable to the power unit 9. The handle component 2 is as previously described and a conical nose 10 is provided on a lug 26 on the component 25.

It is envisaged that with the wrap round" handle component 25 of FIGS. 7 and 8 the handle component interconnection may be modified from that illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 to that illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10. The component 26 (equivalent to component 13 of FIGS. 1 to 5) has an eye 27 with a shouldered bush 28 therethrough. One shoulder 29 on the bush 28 engages against a collar 30 on a sleeve 31 fixed by a pin 32 to the handle component 25 locking nut 33 (as a Nylock (Trade Mark) nut) threaded onto the sleeve 31 is tightened to engage the shoulder 29a of the bush 28 thereby exerting a compression force on the shoulders 29-290 and thereby regulating the flexibility of the joint between the handle components by increasing the frictional grip between the shoulders 29-290 the eye 27 the collar 30 and the nut 33.

FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative connection of the handle part 1 to the power unit 9. The handle part 1 has a flange 34 threaded as at 35. A mounting 36 is secured to the power unit 9 by bolts 40. The mounting 36 has tapered bush receiving holes 37 into which headed bushes 38 are fitted. A bolt 39 passes through the bushes 38 into the hole 35. It will be seen that by tightening the bolt 39 the bushes are expanded giving a firm but resilient joint between the handle part 1 and the power unit 9.

To provide additional transverse stability two eyes 27, spaced apart, may be provided on two components 26 disposed at opposite corners of the body 12.

The claims defining the invention are as follows:

1. A power tool comprising a power unit and a dual grip handle assembly coupled thereto, said handle assembly comprising a first handle member, first flexible means connecting the handle member to the power unit, a second handle member, second flexible means connecting the second handle member to the power unit and third flexible means connecting the first and second handle members.

2. A power tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first flexible means secures the first handle member by its ends to the power unit.

3. A power tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first flexible means secures the first handle member by one end to the power unit and the other end of the first handle member is connected to the second handle member by the third flexible means.

4. A power tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the third flexible means is adjustable as to flexibility.

5. A power tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the third flexible means comprises shaped inter-engaging members on said handle members and resilient bearing means interposed between said inter-engaging members and means for regulating the flexibility of said third flexible means comprises means for applying a load to said resilient bearing means.

6. A power tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein said third flexible means comprises a conical nose on the first handle member and a conical bore in part of the second handle member and a conical bush disposed therebetween, and means for regulating the flexibility of said third flexible means comprising a screw to draw the nose into the bore to apply a compression load to said bush.

7. A power tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein said third flexible means comprises an eye on the second handle member with a resilient bush in said eye, said bush embracing part of said first handle member, ad-

justable collars on the first handle member to apply a compression load on shoulders of said bush disposed 

1. A power tool comprising a power unit and a dual grip handle assembly coupled thereto, said handle assembly comprising a first handle member, first flexible means connecting the handle member to the power unit, a second handle member, second flexible means connecting the second handle member to the power unit and third flexible means connecting the first and second handle members.
 2. A power tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first flexible means secures the first handle member by its ends to the power unit.
 3. A power tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first flexible means secures the first handle member by one end to the power unit and the other end Of the first handle member is connected to the second handle member by the third flexible means.
 4. A power tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the third flexible means is adjustable as to flexibility.
 5. A power tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the third flexible means comprises shaped inter-engaging members on said handle members and resilient bearing means interposed between said inter-engaging members and means for regulating the flexibility of said third flexible means comprises means for applying a load to said resilient bearing means.
 6. A power tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein said third flexible means comprises a conical nose on the first handle member and a conical bore in part of the second handle member and a conical bush disposed therebetween, and means for regulating the flexibility of said third flexible means comprising a screw to draw the nose into the bore to apply a compression load to said bush.
 7. A power tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein said third flexible means comprises an eye on the second handle member with a resilient bush in said eye, said bush embracing part of said first handle member, adjustable collars on the first handle member to apply a compression load on shoulders of said bush disposed between said collars and the sides of said eye. 